EMERGING MARKETS-Latam stocks choppy on US jobless claims, China

路透新闻部

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* U.S. jobless claims trump China data
* Brazil Bovespa down 0.59 pct, Mexico IPC flat
By Danielle Assalve and Gabriel Stargardter
SAO PAULO/MEXICO CITY Oct 18 (Reuters) - Latin American
stocks were choppy on Thursday after weaker-than-expected labor
market data in the United States offset positive economic news
from China.
The MSCI Latin American stock index traded
flat at 3,759.23. The index has risen nearly 6 percent since the
beginning of September.
Shares of the most widely traded commodities companies drove
Brazil's benchmark Bovespa index to its first loss in
five sessions. Trading in Mexico's benchmark IPC showed
slight gains but was suspended half an hour before the end of
the day.
Investors positioning for the release of Chinese gross
domestic product data on Thursday had been awaiting signals on
whether Brazil's top trading partner is nearing the bottom of a
recent slowdown in economic growth.
While the data was in line with expectations, industrial
production, retail sales and investment data were all slightly
ahead of forecasts, suggesting a more positive outlook for
China's economy.
Still, the news did little to boost Latin American shares as
investors turned their attention to the world's largest economy.
U.S. data on Thursday showed the number of Americans filing new
claims for jobless benefits rose last week.
"Today the Bovespa is following the outlook for the U.S.
economy, despite the favorable data from China," said Rodrigo
Melo, an economist with asset management firm Maua Sekular in
Sao Paulo.
Brazil's benchmark Bovespa stock index lost 0. 59
percent to 59,733.90.
"This scenario has opened space for profit-taking after
gains in recent sessions," said Alvaro Bandeira, a partner at
Orama Investments in Rio de Janerio.
Mining giant Vale fell 0.5 percent. Oil producers
also weighed on the index, with state-controlled firm Petrobras
down 0.53 percent and OGX, the oil company
controlled by Brazilian billionaire Eike Batista, driving
losses, down 5.9 percent.
Petrobras said on Thursday that it identified 28 areas where
it believes it can cut costs in the wake of soaring investments
and its first quarterly loss in 13 years.
Shares of homebuilder MRV Engenharia fell 3.17
percent after the company said late Wednesday that sales in the
third quarter dropped 5 percent from a year earlier.
Mexico's IPC index ended the day up 0.08 percent at
42,592.78, before trading was suspended on the stock exchange in
the last half hour.
"The market has been heading down, but now it feels like it
will start firming up again," said Arturo Zavala, a trader at
the Multivalores brokerage in Mexico City, who expected the IPC
to break the 43,000 threshold by next week.
"In general, I think earnings reports this week will be
good."
Chile's IPSA index traded higher for the third day
in a row, up 0.24 at 4,322.14, as gains by retailer Falabella
offset losses by industrial conglomerate Copec
Latin America's key stock indexes at 2048 GMT:
Stock indexes % change
Latest
MSCI LatAm 3,762.89 0.07
Brazil Bovespa 59,733.90 -0.59
Mexico IPC 42,592.78 0.08
Chile IPSA 4,322.14 0.24
Chile IGPA 21,088.62 0.22
Argentina MerVal 2,455.93 -0.63
Colombia IGBC 14,833.66 1.23
Peru IGRA 21,476.86 -0.24
Venezuela IBC 374,691.41 0.01